1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charger and, in particular, it relates to a charger for use with an electric vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an electric vehicle has received attention as a low-pollution car. In such an electric vehicle, it has been desired that a charger, which is indispensable to the electric vehicle, can be easily or conveniently handled. As a charger for an electric vehicle, an induction type charger has come to public notice, since it can be made small and failures of electrical connection tend not to occur.
FIG. 6 shows an induction type charger 50, in which a power source apparatus 51 is provided on a pedestal 52 standing on the ground. The power source apparatus 51 is provided with a power supply paddle 53 electrically connected thereto by a cable 54. The length of the cable 54 is determined in accordance with the distance between the power source apparatus 51 and the electric vehicle 55 and is in general in the range of 3 to 5 meters.
The power supply paddle 53 is held by the power source apparatus 51 when it is not in use. In more detail, the power supply paddle 53 is inserted in a cover 57 attached to the right side of the housing 56 of the power source apparatus 51 through an opening 58 of the cover 57 and is received in a paddle holder casing 59 secured to the right side wall of the housing 56 covered by the cover 57, as shown in FIG. 7. In use, the power supply paddle 53 is removed from the paddle holder casing 59 and is connected to a charge port 60 provided in the electric vehicle 55.
The power supply paddle 53 is received in the paddle holder casing 59 when it is not used, so that the power supply paddle 53 lies in a plane in the insertion direction thereof. Consequently, if external force, such as tensile force is accidentally applied to the cable 54, there is a fear that the power supply paddle 53 is easily detached or removed from the paddle holder casing 59 and is dropped onto the ground and damaged.
Moreover, the power source apparatus 51 provided on the pedestal 52 is 1 to 1.3 m high from the ground. Therefore, when the power supply paddle 53 is received in the paddle holder casing 59, the cable 54 whose length is 3 to 5 m is in contact with the ground surface, as shown in FIG. 6. Consequently, the cable 54 is rubbed against the ground surface and is worn.
The present invention is aimed at elimination of the drawbacks of the prior art, mentioned above, by providing a charger in which a power supply paddle can be certainly received and held.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a charger in which a cable extending from the power supply paddle can be handled without being damaged. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charger in which a power supplier provided at one end of a cable extending from a power source apparatus installed on the ground is received and held in a paddle holder casing provided on the power source apparatus when the charger is not used, said power supplier being connected to a power receiver on a power receiving side in a noncontacting fashion to effect charging by electromagnetic induction, wherein said paddle holder casing is obliquely arranged on one side wall of the power source apparatus.
According to the present invention, when the power supplier is not used, and the power supplier is inserted and held in the paddle holder casing, the power supplier cannot be easily detached from the paddle holder casing or dropped onto the ground, even if external force such as tensile force is accidentally exerted on the cable. Thus, the power supplier can be certainly held by the paddle holder casing.